FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
AMERICAN DENTAL PARTNERS ANNOUNCES THE ACCREDITATION OF FAMILY CARE DENTAL CENTERS

Contacts:  (781) 224-0880, (781) 224-0880
Gregory A. Serrao, Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer
Breht T. Feigh, Vice President, Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer

WAKEFIELD, MASSACHUSETTS - January 18, 2002 - American Dental Partners, Inc. (NASDAQ:ADPI) announced today that Family Care Dental Centers' practices have received accreditation status from the Accreditation Association for Ambulatory Health Care ("AAAHC").

The AAAHC is a peer-based, not-for-profit organization that is nationally recognized for conducting extensive evaluations of ambulatory health care organizations to ensure the highest quality standards. More than 1,300 ambulatory health care organizations across the United States are accredited by the AAAHC. Currently, just 12 group dental practices have achieved accreditation status.

Family Care Dental Centers, founded in 1977, is a multi-specialty dental group practice with four locations in Janesville, Kenosha and Racine, Wisconsin. "Family Care Dental Centers' accreditation is well deserved and is a recognition of their commitment to high quality standards and clinical excellence. ," said Gregory A. Serrao, Chief Executive Officer. "We are pleased that all four of our Wisconsin affiliates, comprising 24 practice locations, have achieved accreditation status," Mr. Serrao added.

American Dental Partners encourages its affiliated dental groups to pursue AAAHC accreditation as a means to set and maintain measurable quality benchmarks and achieve the highest possible standard of patient care. Dr. Jesley C. Ruff, Vice President and Chief Professional Officer of American Dental Partners, works with the Company's affiliates in the pursuit of accreditation. "We hope that by having our affiliated dental groups be part of a select group of dental practices accredited by the AAAHC, American Dental Partners will be at the forefront of promoting clinical excellence in the dental profession," said Dr. Ruff. "While AAAHC accreditation is a rigorous and demanding process, we believe it will help our affiliated dental groups continue to recruit high quality professionals and enhance relationships with patients and local dental communities," Dr. Ruff added.

American Dental Partners is one of the nation's leading business partners to dental groups. The Company is affiliated with 19 dental groups and operates 155 dental facilities with approximately 1,400 operatories located in 14 states. Nine of the Company's affiliates are accredited by the Accreditation Association for Ambulatory Health Care.

Note: Some of the information in this press release contains `"forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. The words "believe", "expect", "anticipate",'' project",  and similar expressions, among others, identify forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date the statement was made. Such forward-looking statements are subject to uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those projected, anticipated or implied. Certain factors that might cause such a difference include, among others, the Company's risks associated with overall or regional economic conditions, contracts its affiliated dental groups have with third party payors and the impact of any terminations or potential terminations of such contracts, the cost of and access to capital, the tight labor markets, the Company's acquisition and affiliation strategy, management of rapid growth, dependence upon affiliated dental groups, dependence upon service agreements and government regulation of the dental industry. Additional risks, uncertainties and other factors are set forth in the "Risk Factors'' section of the Company's Registration Statement on Form S-4 (File No. 333-56941).